diff --git a/RELEASING.md b/RELEASING.md
index 833db1ee03..a7240a359b 100644
--- a/RELEASING.md
+++ b/RELEASING.md
@@ -54,52 +54,34 @@ separately and install it under your personal directory, because
 
 Please see the [Main Readme](README.md) for details on building protobuf.
 
-Tagging the Release
-----------------------
-The first step in the release process is to create a release branch, bump
-versions, and create a tag for the release. Our release branches follow the naming
+Common Variables
+----------------
+Many of the following commands expect release-specific variables to be set. Set
+them before continuing, and set them again when resuming.
+
+```bash
+$ MAJOR=1 MINOR=7 PATCH=0 # Set appropriately for new release
+$ VERSION_FILES=(
+  build.gradle
+  android-interop-testing/app/build.gradle
+  examples/build.gradle
+  examples/pom.xml
+  examples/android/helloworld/app/build.gradle
+  examples/android/routeguide/app/build.gradle
+  )
+```
+
+
+Branching the Release
+---------------------
+The first step in the release process is to create a release branch and bump
+the SNAPSHOT version. Our release branches follow the naming
 convention of `v<major>.<minor>.x`, while the tags include the patch version
-`v<major>.<minor>.<patch>`. For example, the same branch `v0.7.x`
-would be used to create all `v0.7` tags (e.g. `v0.7.0`, `v0.7.1`).
+`v<major>.<minor>.<patch>`. For example, the same branch `v1.7.x`
+would be used to create all `v1.7` tags (e.g. `v1.7.0`, `v1.7.1`).
 
-1. Create the release branch and push it to GitHub:
-
-   ```bash
-   $ MAJOR=0 MINOR=7 PATCH=0 # Set appropriately for new release
-   $ VERSION_FILES=(
-     build.gradle
-     android-interop-testing/app/build.gradle
-     examples/build.gradle
-     examples/pom.xml
-     examples/android/helloworld/app/build.gradle
-     examples/android/routeguide/app/build.gradle
-     )
-   $ git checkout -b v$MAJOR.$MINOR.x master
-   $ git push upstream v$MAJOR.$MINOR.x
-   ```
-2. Make sure you are [logged in](https://grpc-testing.appspot.com/manage) to
-   Jenkins, then make a [new release
-   job](https://grpc-testing.appspot.com/view/Releases/newJob)
-   * _Name_: gRPC-Java-$MAJOR.$MINOR-Windows
-   * _Copy from_: gRPC-Java-master-windows
-   * Click _OK_ button
-   * _Display Name_ under _Use custom workspace_ (not ~~Project
-     url~~): gRPC Java $MAJOR.$MINOR Windows
-   * Under _Source Code Management_, _Branches to build_'s
-   _Branch Specifier_: `*/v$MAJOR.$MINOR.x`
-   * Under _Build Triggers_, _Build periodically_: `H H * * H`
-   * Click _SAVE_ button
-   * Click _Build Now_
-   * Click on job #1, then _Console Output_. Verify the `git checkout` checked
-     out the correct commit
-3. Go to [Travis CI settings](https://travis-ci.org/grpc/grpc-java/settings) and
-   add a _Cron Job_:
-   * Branch: `v$MAJOR.$MINOR.x`
-   * Interval: `weekly`
-   * Options: `Do not run if there has been a build in the last 24h`
-   * Click _Add_ button
-4. For `master`, change root build files to the next minor snapshot (e.g.
-   ``0.8.0-SNAPSHOT``).
+1. For `master`, change root build files to the next minor snapshot (e.g.
+   ``1.8.0-SNAPSHOT``).
 
    ```bash
    $ git checkout -b bump-version master
@@ -109,14 +91,43 @@ would be used to create all `v0.7` tags (e.g. `v0.7.0`, `v0.7.1`).
    $ ./gradlew build
    $ git commit -a -m "Start $MAJOR.$((MINOR+1)).0 development cycle"
    ```
-5. Go through PR review and push the master branch to GitHub:
+2. Go through PR review and submit.
+3. Create the release branch starting just before your commit and push it to GitHub:
 
    ```bash
-   $ git checkout master
-   $ git merge --ff-only bump-version
-   $ git push upstream master
+   $ git fetch upstream
+   $ git checkout -b v$MAJOR.$MINOR.x \
+     $(git log --pretty=format:%H --grep "^Start $MAJOR.$((MINOR+1)).0 development cycle$" upstream/master)^
+   $ git push upstream v$MAJOR.$MINOR.x
    ```
-6. For vMajor.Minor.x branch, change `README.md` to refer to the next release
+4. Make sure you are [logged in](https://grpc-testing.appspot.com/manage) to
+   Jenkins, then make a [new release
+   job](https://grpc-testing.appspot.com/view/Releases/newJob)
+   * _Name_: gRPC-Java-$MAJOR.$MINOR-Windows
+   * _Copy from_: gRPC-Java-master-windows
+   * Click _OK_ button
+   * Click _Advanced..._ in the _General_ area right above _Source Code Management_
+   * _Display Name_ under _Use custom workspace_ (not ~~Project
+     url~~): gRPC Java $MAJOR.$MINOR Windows
+   * Under _Source Code Management_, _Branches to build_'s
+   _Branch Specifier_: `*/v$MAJOR.$MINOR.x`
+   * Under _Build Triggers_, _Build periodically_: `H H * * H`
+   * Click _SAVE_ button
+   * Click _Build Now_
+   * Click on job #1, then _Console Output_. Verify the `git checkout` checked
+     out the correct commit
+5. Go to [Travis CI settings](https://travis-ci.org/grpc/grpc-java/settings) and
+   add a _Cron Job_:
+   * Branch: `v$MAJOR.$MINOR.x`
+   * Interval: `weekly`
+   * Options: `Do not run if there has been a build in the last 24h`
+   * Click _Add_ button
+6. Continue with Google-internal steps at go/grpc/java/releasing.
+
+Tagging the Release
+-------------------
+
+1. For vMajor.Minor.x branch, change `README.md` to refer to the next release
    version. _Also_ update the version numbers for protoc if the protobuf library
    version was updated since the last release.
 
@@ -126,7 +137,7 @@ would be used to create all `v0.7` tags (e.g. `v0.7.0`, `v0.7.1`).
    $ ${EDITOR:-nano -w} README.md
    $ git commit -a -m "Update README to reference $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"
    ```
-7. Change root build files to remove "-SNAPSHOT" for the next release version
+2. Change root build files to remove "-SNAPSHOT" for the next release version
    (e.g. `0.7.0`). Commit the result and make a tag:
 
    ```bash
@@ -136,7 +147,7 @@ would be used to create all `v0.7` tags (e.g. `v0.7.0`, `v0.7.1`).
    $ git commit -a -m "Bump version to $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"
    $ git tag -a v$MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH -m "Version $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"
    ```
-8. Change root build files to the next snapshot version (e.g. `0.7.1-SNAPSHOT`).
+3. Change root build files to the next snapshot version (e.g. `0.7.1-SNAPSHOT`).
    Commit the result:
 
    ```bash
@@ -146,7 +157,7 @@ would be used to create all `v0.7` tags (e.g. `v0.7.0`, `v0.7.1`).
    $ ./gradlew build
    $ git commit -a -m "Bump version to $MAJOR.$MINOR.$((PATCH+1))-SNAPSHOT"
    ```
-9. Go through PR review and push the release tag and updated release branch to
+4. Go through PR review and push the release tag and updated release branch to
    GitHub:
 
    ```bash